Coin-control device



Aug. 30, 1932. -R M; FOX' 1,874,486

com CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iwveni'or:

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Aug. 30, 1932. F X 1,874,486

COIN CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug.30, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAY M. FOX, 016 LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESN E ASSIGN- MENTS, T EDWARD T.I'IONE'IT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COIN-CONTROL DEVICE Application filed August 27, 1926.

This invention relates broadly to coin con-' provide for telephonesubscribers what is known as metered service. In other words,

the telephone company allows a certain number of outgoing calls each dayfor a certain monthly rental charge. Any calls in addition thereto aremetered at a fixed rate, usually five cents. As a result, if thetelephone is used extensively by outsiders who no not pay forsaid use,the rental to the subscriber, due to such metered service would be quitehigh. The present device is so constructed and arranged as to permit theuse of the telephone providing the person desiring to use the same paysthe amount required for such service. The device about to be describedis directly applicable to automatic telephones wherein the subscriber oruser of said telephone dials the call number.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a vertically movable boltprojecting from a housing, which housing is attached to the telephoneand in such a position that the bolt enters one of the finger openingsof the dial. A coin-receiving opening is placed in said housing, andupon moving a lever the coin will release the said bolt and permitoperation of the dial. V hen the telephone receiver is returned to thetelephone hook, the bolt immediately drops and again locks the dialagainst movement.

Objects of the present invention include a device of the characterstated which is simple of construction, neat in appearance, positive inits operation, and not liable to get out of order.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel and useful provision, formation, construction, association andrelative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as shown in oneembodiment in the accompanying drawings, described generally and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Serial No. 131,979.

Figure l is a front elevation of the tele phone incorporating theinvention;

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure l, and showing the receiver of saidtelephone re moved from itshook and the bolt for looking the dial ofsaid telephone raised so that the dial may be operated;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an interior view of a control mechanism embodying theinvention, and

showing the general arrangement of the parts upon receiving a coin, thecoin being indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 5 shows a second position of the coin when a certain member hasbeen moved within the device;

Figure 6 shows a third position of a coin with the lock bolt raised;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the device taken on the line 77Fig. 4 and show ing operative mechanism thereof;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the lock bolt raised;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 7

Figure 10 is a partially sectional view on the line 10l0 of Fig. 9;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary and sectional view on the line l1-11 of Fig.6; and

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view of the lock bolt and on anenlarged scale from the remaining figures.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the samereference-characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawings, the improved device isdesignated as an entirety and in one embodiment by A. The device in theembodiment shown includes a casing (6 provided on one side with a swingdoor 1 which may be locked by means 2, and which casing has a rear wall3 and a front wall a. Spaced from the front wall at and likewise carriedthereby is a second wall 5 known as a guard. This front wall with itsguard may be conveniently held to the sides of the casing in anyapproved manner. The said casing has extending between its top andbottom walls 6 and 7 respectively, a division strip 8. Thus I providetwo chambers within the container, as shown at 9 and 10. ProJecting fromone of the side walls is a'braclret 11, which bracket is formed with anotch or cutaway portion 12, and the rear wall 3 of said container isprovided with a substantially U-shaped member 13 which may carry a feltstrip or the like 14, whereby through the medium of said U-shaped memberthe container as an entirety may be secured about a telephone standard15, and in such position that when the receiver hook 16 is holding-thetelephone receiver 17, said hook will lie adjacent the bottom wall 18forming one boundary for the notch or slot 12, as illustrated in Fig. 7It will be noted that this particular telephone is of the desk type andhas mounted upon the base 19 thereof a rotatable dial member 20 formedwith finger openings '21 whereby the operator of said telephone uponremoving the receiver 17 from the hook'16 may dial any number desired.The device A as an entirety is mounted above said'dial and to the member15 as aforesaid. Vi ithin the casing and likewise extending throughopenings in the top 'and bottom walls ,7 and 8, of said casing is anelongated bolt 22 known as a lock bolt. This said bolt is adapted toassume two positions as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the position ofFig. 1 showing a lock bolt passed through one of the finger openings 21of the dial to lock such dial as against movement, while the position ofFig. 2 shows the lock bolt raised so that the dial may be rotated. Thispartic ular lock bolt is detailed in Figure 12 wherein it will be seen"that the bolt is substantially tubular and slotted longitudinally for aportion thereof as indicated at 23. Within this tubular member is aplunger 24 carrying a pin 25 which extends transversely outwardlythrough said slot 23. Mounted above the plunger and within the lock boltis a coil spring 26 and the top of said lock bolt is plugged by means27. Likewise said lock bolt is either flattened along one side orprovided with a substantially flat face member 28 extending a slightdistance outwardly from the periphery of said lock bolt. This member istermed a catch. Adapted to be pivotally mounted on the partition strip 8is a trigger 29, said trigger comprising a member having an elongatedportion 30 formed with a base 31 at substantially right angles to suchportion 30, and a. second portion 32 at substantially right angles tothe part 30, and in the same planet-herewith and with a downwardlyextended portion or nose 33 joined with the 7 part '32. A small wirespring or the like 34 is secured at 35 to the partition, and likewise tothe base 31and normally urges said base portion against the periphery ofthe bolt 22, as illustrated in Figure 7. Thus, if an attempt were madeto lift the bolt 22 from the position shown in Figure 5, the saidtriggerbase 31 would contact with the upper end of the member 28 whichconstitutes a catch and prevent further outward movement of said bolt.

Assuming that the front wall 4 with its guard is secured to the casing,it will be noted that the nose 33 of the trigger is directly above thesaid guard and in communication with the space between said guard andthe front wall 4, as best illustrated in Figs 7 and 8, the guard to thisend being provided with a cut-away portion 36. Adapted for movementbetween the said guard and the front wall 4, isa segment 37, and thissegment may be termed a control means, in that it performsseveralimportant functions about to be detailed. Said segment is shownin fulllines in Fig. 9, and in dotted lines in Figs. 4 to 6, and thesegment is mounted upon a short stud or shaft 38 passed through theguard and front wall and which stud or shaft has secured thereto a lever39 formed with a fingerpiece 40. Thus movement of the lever 39 in thedirection of the arrow of Fig. 1 will raise the said segment from theposition shown in dotted lines of Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig.6. This segment is provided With a coin-receiving pocket 41, the pocketbeing of such size as to best receive some selected denomination ofcoin.

Referring specifically to Fig. 9 the top Wall 6 is formed with acoin-receivin'g'opem ing 42, and a coin entering through said opening isdirected to the coin-receiving pocket 41 when the coin-receiving pocketof the segment is Within the chamber 9. The bottom wall 43 of saidsegment carries a transverse piece 44, and this piece is adapted tobereceived beneath the pin 25 secured to the plunger 24 of the bolt 22. Inthis particular it will be seen that it is necessary that the guard 8 beslotted as at 45 to allow passage of the transverse piece 44therethrough. Now, assuming that a coin is dropped through thecoin-receiving opening 42 and is received in the coin pocket 41, uponmovement of the lever 39 upwardly in the direction of the arrow of Fig.1, the coin will assume successive positions, as shown in Figs. 4 to 6,and said coin will be brought into contact with the nose 33 of thetrigger 29 which will move said nose directly upwardly and revolve thetrigger in such a direction as to release the base 31 from engagementwith the top edge or shoulder of the catch 28. As this segment movesupwardly the pin 25 secured to the plunger will move the plungerupwardly, due to the fact that the member 44 will lift said pin.However, the trigger is not released from the catch 28 until the coinengages the trigger, which would be substantially the positionillustrated in Fig. 5. It is thus evident that the coil spring 26 iscompressed as between the plug 27 and the plunger 24, so that when thetrigger is released from the catch 28 the lock, bolt will immediatelymove upwardly under urgency and expansion of the spring 26. It willfurther be shown upon reference to Figure 9 that the said guard isformed with a curved cut-away portion which is in substantial alignmentwith the coin and the pocket of the segment when the lever 39 hasreached the excursion of its movement, which would be the position shownin Figs. 2 and 6. N hen this position is reached the coin will drop fromsaid pocket and be received within the chamber 10. The front wall 4: isformed with an indented portion best shown in Figure 10 at 51 which actsas a knock-out for the coin, as said portion projects directly into thepath of the coin and displaces it from the coin pocket. To prevent anyunauthorized person from moving the trigger, and thus avoid anillegitimate payment for use of the telephone, a lip 52 is provided onthe guard so that contact with said trigger is difiicult ofaccomplishment other than by the way intended (see also Fig. 10). Afterthe lever 39 has reached its limit of upward excursion the lever willdrop back to the position shown in Fig. 1 under its own weight, whichwill restore the segment to the position shown in Fig. 9. However, it isessential that some means be provided to hold the lock bolt 22 in anupward position when the receiver hook 16 is disengaged, and like wiseto release the said lock bolt for engage ment with the dial 20 when thereceiver 17 is replaced upon its hook 16. This means will now bedescribed.

Pivoted to the pin 25 is a link and in turn pivoted to said link 60 is afurther link 61 which has its outermost extremity pivoted to the bracket11, as shown at 62. This link 61 is formed with a bent end extremity 63which is secured to the link 60. Likewise secured to the wall 64 and onthe inner surface thereof is a link spring 65 which is bowed at 66intermediate its ends, one end as 67 of said spring being secured tosaid side 64 and the opposite end bearing against said side, but notfastened thereto. Means 68 is provided for adjusting the bearingpressure of the free end of said spring against the side 64. When thetelephone receiver 17 has been removed from its hook 16, and a coininserted within the coin-receiving slot 42, which is received in thecoinreceiving pocket 41 of the segment and the lever 39 moved upwardly,the trigger 29 will be actuated to release the bolt which will allow thebolt to move from the position shown in Fig. 4 where its engagement withthe dial 20 to substantially the position shown in 6 where it is out ofengagement with the dial. This upward movement of the bolt will move thelink 61 about its pivot point 62 with the bracket 11, or from theposition of Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. 8, and it will be noted thatthis link will be engaged between the inner wall surface of the wall 64:and the extremity of the spring 65. Thus the link will be held in thisposition by friction, and

lock bolt is in engagement with the dial the receiver hook is out ofengagement or substantially out of engagement with the link 61, and thatwhen the lock bolt is in its raised position the link 61 obstructs thecutaway portion 12. Thus, when the receiver hook moves downwardly byreplacing the receiver 17, said hook will contact with the link 61 andrelease it from its frictional engagement with the wall 6& and thespring 65, with the result that the lock bolt will drop into one of thefinger openings 21. When the lock bolt is in its downward position thelink 61 is received between the bowed portion of the spring and the wall64.

The individual subscribers who have this device attached to thetelephone may be provided with keys whereby theside door 1 may be openedand the coins recovered foruse of the telephone.

The invention is simple of construction, and prevents in a feasiblemanner unauthorized use of the telephone without payment.

It is obvious that various changes, modifications and variations may bemade in practicing the invention, in departure from the particularshowing of the drawings, without departing from the true spirit of theinven-- tion.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. In combination with a dial-actuated telephone instrument, a lock boltfor engaging and locking the dial of said instrument when the linecircuit is open, a trigger for engaging said bolttomaintain the bolt indial locking position, a coin-receiving member, means for manuallyactuating said coin receiving member, means connected to saidcoin-receiving member to actuate said lock bolt to release the same fromthe dial when said coin-receiving member is manually actuated.

'2. In combination with a dial-actuated telephone instrument, a lockingelement for locking the dial of said instrument when the receiver hookof the instrument is in position opening the line circuit, acoin-receiving member, means for manually actuating said coin-receivingmember, means associated with said locking element to release the samefrom the dial when said coin-receiving member is actuated, a linkconnected to said looking element and extending under the receiver hookof said instrument, a friction member for engaging said link when thelockin element is released'from the dial to hold said locking element soreleased until the receiver is placed on the receiver hook and theweight of the receiver causes said hook 5 to swing said link downwardlyout of frictional engagement with said friction member to enable saidlocking element to engage and lock said dial, and locking means for saidlock bolt released by the coin in the carrier. a

3. In combination with a telephone having a standard, a dialto beactuated to call a number, and a receiver hook for opening and closing aline circuit, of a lock bolt adapted to engage the dial to preventmovement thereof, a casing, adapted to be secured to said standard, forsaid lock bolt, a coin-receiving member, means for manually actuatingsaid coin-receiving member, means carried by said coin-receiving memberto actuate said lock bolt to release the same from said dial, when saidcoin-receiving member is manually actuated, locking means for said lockbolt released by the coin in the carrier, and means maintaining saidlock bolt so released when the receiver hook is in position closing theline circuit.

4. In combination with a telephone having a standard, a dial to beactuated to call a number, and a receiver hook for opening and 7 closinga line circuit, 01": a lock bolt adapted to engage the dial to preventmovement thereof, a casing secured to said standard, for said lock bolt,a coin-receiving member, means for manually actuating saidcoin-receiving member, means carried by said coin-receiving member toactuate said lock bolt to release the same from said dial, when saidcoinreceiving member is. manually actuated,

' 40 means maintaining said lock bolt so released when the receiver hookis in position closing the line circuit, said means being renderedinoperative by the receiver hook when returned to position for openingthe line circuit, thereby permitting the lock bolt to engage the dialagain, and locking means for said lock boltreleased by'the coin in thecarrier.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

I RAY M. FOX.

